The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-10-13
FROM A. M'GREG0R.
The Supreme Law The British
Parliament.
Tyrant Authority Spy System-Re-
form, the Order of the Day--Curran's
Noble Words-Henry Bell and
Steam Navigation - Paris.

"Salus populi suprema lex" is the old
maxim as the Romans had it, meaning
that the safety of the people is the
supreme law.
The condition of things here i'll this
old land enslaved as it is by customs
that have grown more and more into
evil, is approaching finality. Time at
last sets all things even. 1t did so in
France near one hundred years age
when the upper classes were wiped out
and the land sequestrated and sold in
small quantities.
This new condition of things in
France enabled the French people to
meet and overthrow the armies Of the
crowned heads of Europe. 1t was not
until the vaulting ambition and folly OF
the great Napoleon met with final de
feat that the. BourbonsK Kings We're re.
stored.
The British Parliament has more
than once recognized. the principle OF
the safety of the people, having de-
throned the legitimate king and
placed another on the throne. The
full power of Parliament is still recog-
nized in all things necessary. With a
free press, free speech and free trade;
with regard for justice and equality
before the law; with public schools gen
eral and becoming more and more free,
the great people of Great Britain and
Ireland are bound to win. "Hheir cause
it is just and conquer they must
The wonder to an American is how
this condition of things has been so
long endured, especially when one reads
the cruel tyrannySof authority in tax
ing the lives of some and banishing
others. Baird, Hardie and Wilson WI o
were executed in 1920 were really the
victims of paid government spies For
long years tyranny ruled with high
hand, for it was only favored few
that had vote for members of Pariia-
ment. The city of Glasgow, for ex-
ample, had not a member for herse'
until reform came, being joined to three
other towns and having some 30 voters
in the entire city. 1t was land that
voted. The reform bill of 1882 was the
grand opening and suffrage has been
more and more extended. Glasgow has
now seven members of Parliament and
polls about $1,000 votes in all.
Few if any single men vote, for house
hold suffrage and payment of poor rates
are required. All this has been got out
after long effort and little by little; but
it encourages and the efforts continue.
There is no such word as FAIL, for the
schoOlmaster is abroad in Scotland as to
political rights. me following, though
uttered near century ago, by the elo-
quent Curran, is worthy of reproduc-
ton. 1t is an extract from his defence
Of Rowan, tried for sedition in Dublin
in 1894 and the eloquent orator is refer
ring to Muir and others banished to
Botany Bay:
Gentlemen of the jury it is to my
mind most astonishing that in such a
country as Scotland u nation east in
the happy medium between the spirit
less acquiesceuse Of submissive power
ty, and the sturdy credulity Of pamp-
cred wealth: cool and ardent; adycntur-
ous and perseyering; winging her eagle
flight against the blaze of every science.
with an eye that never winks. and a
wing that never tires: crowned as she
is with the spoils Of every art. and
derked with the wreath of every muse.
from the deep and scrutiniZing re
searches Of her Hume, to the sweet and
simple, but not less pathetic and sub !
lime morality Of her Burns how. from |
the bosom of a country like that, genius |
and character and talents should be |
banshed to distant baIbarOus soil, |
condemned to pine under the horrid |
communion of vulgar vice and baseborn
prohigacy, for twice the period that or
dinary calculation gives to the continu-
ance Of human life.
Sailing on the Clyde one may see an
obelisk on the rock of Dunglass, a prom
ontOry on the Clyde about 215 miles
above Dunbarton. This is erected to
the memory of Henry Bell, Scotch |
mechanic, who was the first successful |
applier of steam to the purposes Of nav
igation in Europe. He early conceived |
the idea, but was poor. in 1907 he |
writes, II applied to Lord Melville, on
purpose to show the Admiralty the prac-
ticability and great utility of applying
steam to the propelling of vessels
against winds and tides; but the lords |
thought it would not promote trans-ma-
rine navigation" He repeated the at
tempt in 1903 with the same result.
though Lord Nelson told the Admiralty l
if they did not adopt Mr. Bells scheme
other nations would, and "in the end /
vex every vein of this empire" He /
adds: at will succeed, and you should
encourage Mr.. Bell"
Getting no encouragement at home |
he sentShisTprospectus to other nations
of Europe..and to the United States.
The Americans" he writes, were the |
first to put my plan into practice, and
were quickly followed by other ma
tions." Itswas not till 1907, when Full
ton, on the river Hudson demonstrated
the success of steam navigation. that it |
was really taken:up in Europe. In 1911
Mr.. Bell constructed the steamboat
Comet, the first of the kind in Europe.
This gave an impetus to ship building
on the Clyde and itstill continues. This